More than 500 law enforcement agencies participated in Operation Cross Country last week, a national human trafficking operation targeting the commercial sex trafficking of children. The FBI, in coordination with the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC), worked with our local and state law enforcement partners, in 135 cities across the United States, including Knoxville and Chattanooga here in East Tennessee. This year marks the ninth year for Operation Cross Country, which has netted 755 recovered children and the arrests of 1,015 pimps.

During the operation last week, 149 children were recovered nationwide, the youngest being 12 years old, and 153 pimps were arrested. In East Tennessee, two pimps were arrested during the operation.

Agencies participating in East Tennessee operations include the FBI, Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), Tennessee Bureau of Investigation (TBI), Knoxville Police Department, Knox County Sheriff’s Office, and the Chattanooga Police Department.

Related story and raw footage:
- Operation Cross Country: Recovering Victims of Child Sex Trafficking